Podcast

Building A Trusted Brand – Scott Kaplan, HQ Milton Ep. 12

Your company is only as strong as its brand – whether it’s only you, or you and 1000 other people, your ability to build and maintain relationships is dependent on how people view you. We get into the topic of building a trusted brand with Scott Kaplan of HQ Milton for his perspective on how to get into that trusted space. HQ Milton is a niche watch company that focuses on vintage Rolex and Patek Philippe watches. The brand evolved from humble beginnings and Scott shares his journey working in and then walking away from the family jewelry & loan business and how he took the leap to go out on his own. He talks about his first sale, his wildest sale and the role authentic connection plays in building his relationships.

In this episode we talk about:
• What HQ Milton does and how the company started
• Why he walked away from the family business
• We discuss the impact working in the family business had on his relationship with his wife and children
• Taking the leap and making things happen
• How he built his reputation and carve out a space within a niche market
• Passive branding and how he uses that to build trust.
• He shares how his passion for what he does creates connection with his customers
• Unique challenges and opportunity with building relationships online vs. in person
• The trouble with written communication when it comes to relationships
• Scott shares a story about his wildest sell.

About our guest:Scott Kaplan grew up playing baseball, Basketball and handling vintage Cartier & Tiffany pieces the way some kids grow up playing with Legos. Born into the family Jewelry & Loan business, Scott was surrounded by fine vintage watches, diamonds and jewels growing up. After working 17 years at his family’s San Francisco-based business as a certified gemologist and watch expert, he founded H.Q. Milton in 2008.